Windshield cleaner



June 5, 1928. 1,672,154

F. G. FOLBERTH ET AL WINDSHIELD CLEANER Filed Oct. 25, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 5, 1928. 1,672,154

F. G. FOLBERTH ET AL WINDSHIELD CLEANER Filed oct. 25, 1924 2 sheets-sheet 2 attoz nu,

Patented' June 5, v1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT o FFlc."l

FREDERICK G. lFOLBIER'IH AND WILLIAM M. FOLBE'RTH, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO., .AS-

SIGNORS T TRICO PRODUCTS CORPORATION, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A. CORPORA-v 'rroN or NEW Yoan WINDSHIELD CLEANER.

Application led October 25, 1924. Serial No. 745,887.

10 cylinder in communication with the source of suction.

A further object is the provision of a substantially circular spring which is maintained under tension `and which is adapted to move the valve supporting member to opposite sides of its pivot.

further object is the provision of improved means for securing the valve to the valve supporting member. In the accompanying drawings, we have shown one embodiment of the invention.

In this showing: l Figure 1 is a perspective view, Figure -2 is a vertical sectional view show- .inthe cleaner in position on a windshield, igure 3 is adetail view of a portion of the valve' shifting mechanism,

Figure A4 `is a vertical sectional view on line 4 4 of Figure 2, Figure. 5. is horizontal sectional view on line 5-5 ofv Figure 2,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a closure plate, v

Figure 7 is asimilar view of the valve supporting lever, and,

Figure 8 is similar view of the valve. Referring to the drawings. the reference numeral 1 designates a windshield formed of glass or other transparent material, and mounted in a suitable frame 2. The windshield cleaner comprises a motor consisting of a cylinder 3, mounted on the windshield frame and provided with a transverse shaft 4. This shaft is adapted to receive a cleaner arm 5 having a cleaner element 6 mounted on its lower end and the cleaner element is adapted to contact with a portion of the windshield to be cleaned.

The cylinder 3 Vis formed of a pair of sections7 whichare sustantially cup-shaped and provided with closed ends 8 forming the heads of the cylinder. Av closure plate 9 which is curved in cross section, is arrange adjacent the center of the cylinder, Where the two sections abuteach other, and a clamping band 10 is secured to this closure plate and extends around the meeting edges of the cylinder sections. The closure plate is provided with an internal enlar ement 11 andr av sleeve 12 extends inwardly rom the face of this enlar ement. A pair of pistons 13 are mounted 1n the cylinder and spaced from eachother- These lpistons are connected to each other by a connecting member 14, having spaced openings 15 formed therein,f06 forming a rack. A segmental gear 16 is arranged on the shaft 4 and meshes with the rack 15. As shown, the gear extends over the shaft parallel thereto and is provided with a depending portion 17, having an opening for the reception of the shaft and forming a double bearing. The shaft extends from the inner' side of the cylinder yand is provided with ai handle 18, to permit-manual o eration. A collar v19 is arrangedon the s aft between the wall of the cylinderA and I the depending portions 17 of the segmental gear to properly space 'the various parts' of the motor.

Suitable means are provided Afor connecting the oppositeends of the cylinder to a source of suction or pressure.A As shown, a f tube 20 is arranged in a passage in a T- shaped enlargement 21 formed on the exterior of the closure plate. This tube is adapted to be connected to a source of suction or pressure, such 'as the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine (not shown) by means of a conduit (not shown). The passage connected to the tube 20 is also connected at its inner end to a suction passage 22 which extends inwardlyl to the inner face of the enlargement 11 (see Fi re 6).

The T-shaped enlargement is provi ed with a threaded bore adapted to receive ay valve stem 23, having a valve 24 on its inner end which is adapted to close the end of the suction passage 22. As shown, the valve stem is provided with a handle 25 to permit manual operation. On each side of the suction passage1 22, there is provided a cylinder passage 26 (see Figure 5), and the outer ends of these passages are connected to tubesV or conduits 27 which communicate with/the opposite ends of the cylinder. f' 105 n The suction passage 22 is adapted to be d connected to either of the cylinder passages 26 by means of a shiftable valve. As shown,

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` stead of circular. This valve is adapted to be supported b a valve supporting lever which is pi'votally mounted in a plane parallel to the face of the enlargement 11. As shown, the valve su porting member con sists of a substantia lyj semi-circular body portion 29 to fit around the sleeve 12. The

upper end of this member is extended at right angles, as at 30, and is provided with a pair of depending fingers 31, adapted to be received in the groove 32 in the top of the sleeve to pivotall support it. The extension 30 is also provi ed with a notch 33 in its upper end' to receive the operating spring. The lower portion of the valve supporting member is provided with a. cut-out portion 34 of the same size and shape as the valve and the piece of metal 35 extends across thi` cut-out portion centrally thereofto retain the valve in position. The lower end is provided with a pair of depending arms 36.

The lower end of the enlargement is provided with a pair of projecting arms 37, having alined openings 38. A rod 39 is slidably mounted in these openings and this rod is provided with a groove or notch 40.

A substantially circular spring 41 is secured to the rod, the spring being provided with an offset stirrup portion 42 adapted to be received in the groove 40. As shown, the upper end of the spring is received in the notch 33 in the top of the valve supporting lever. A coil spring 43 is arranged on the face of the enlargement and is adapted to be engaged by the depending arms 36.

The operation of the device is as follows:

In Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, the pistons have just completed a movement toward the left end of the cylinder and the valve has been shifted to place the right end of the cylinder in communication with a source of suction, the cylinder passage 26 from the left end of the cylinder, having been uncovered by said valve, now opening directly in to the space between the pistons 13. Atmospheric pressure obtains in this space between said pistons 'by entering through the unpacked joint between said cylinder sections 7 as well as about the inner end of shaft 4. The normal position of the spring 41 is shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 of the drawings and when the upper end of the spring is arranged in the notch 33, the spring assumes the full line position and is placed under tension. With the parts in the position shown in Figure 4 of the draw.- ings, the pistons move toward the right end and as the end of thestroke is approached,

the left piston will engage the left end of` y the rod 39, sliding it inv the openings 3S. When the lower end of the spring 41 passes the center of the pivot ofthe valve supportlf ing member, the upper end of the valve supporting member will be moved towardthe right and the valve supporting member will swing'on its pivot to move the valve to the left to cover the suction passage 22 and the cylinder passage 26 to the left, thus connecting the left end of the cylinder to the source' of suction. limited by the spring 43 which is engaged by one of the arms 36 each time 4the valve is shifted. This movement of the valve from one position tothe other ltakes place at the end of each stroke, the /spring 41 moving the upper end of the valve supporting member. and thus' swinging the valve supporting The movement of the valve aol member on its pivot.l The spring 41 being circular, and being distended radially or in vthe plane of the circular spring body, has

its line of spring force or its lineof maximum force lying substantially in the plane of the spring body. It i-s therefore this line of spring or. maximum force which is moved across dead center or across the pivotal mounting of the lever 29. Being distended from the normally untensioned `and substantially circular formation indicated by the dotted showing in Fig. 3, to the more or less elliptical and solid line showing in this ligure, the spring exerts downward force on the upper end portion 30 of the lever 29 ioo so as to firmly hold -it onits fulcrum supl port, and as the line of spring force or maxi- A mum force is moved back and forthto opposite sidesof the pivotal mounting of ,the lever, said upper end 30 isrocked back and forth in the herein depicte as being substantially circular in shape and is so described for the' sake of clearness although it is intended to include any particular shape for an o en spring of this nature wherein the line o spring force or maximum force is substantially radially or in the plane ofthe spring body. In forming the spring from a length of wire the ends or terminals are brought together in slightly overlapping relation as shown in Fig. 3, and

oove'i32. The spring 41 is j' these ends are hooked or engaged in the notch 33 so as to maintain the shape ofthe spring bod l It 1s to e understood that the form of our invention herewith shown and describedv ber adapted to beactuated by a movable element of the motor, a substantially circular spring hung over a party of said movable member, a valve, and a -valve supporting.

member pivoted for limited movement and having a part about which said circular spring is hung under tension, said spring ,beingI distended radially from its circular shape when engaged over said parts and having its line of spring force movable by said movable member to opposite sides ofI the pivotal mounting of said valve supporting member.

2. Valve actuating mechanism for windshield cleaners, comprising a pivoted valve supporting member movable from one to the other of two positions, a valve connected .to said member on one side of its pivot, a substantially circular springl connected to said member on the other side of its pivot, and a slidable member spaced from said point of connection of said spring a distance greater than the normal diameter of the spring, said spring being tensionally distended radially to engage and be held so distended by said slidable member, said slidable member being actuated by a movable part of the motor to shift vthe line of spring force of said radially tensioned circular spring to opposite sides of said supporting member whereby the spring will snap said supporting member from one to the `other ot said positions.

3. Valve actuating'mechanism for windshield cleaners comprising a pivoted valve supporting member movable from one to the other of two positions, a valve connected to said member onone side of its pivot, a substantially circular spring connected to saidmember on the other side of its pivot,` and a rod extending longitudinally of the motor` casing and having a notch in which said spring is `tensionally engaged through radial distention thereof, said rod being adapted to be, engaged by a movable part of the motor to move said rod and thereby shift the line of spring force of said circular spring to the opposite side of the pivotal mounting.r of said supporting member for effecting a quick snap action of the latter from one to the other of said positions. A

4. Valve actuating mechanism for windshield cleaners comprising a pivoted valve supporting member movable from one to the other of two positions.. a valve connected to said member on one side of its pivot, a substantially circular spring connected on one side to said member on the opposite side of its pivot and having its opposite side offset to form a stirrup, and a slidable member engaged in said stirrup, said spring being radially distended under tension to effectv ysuch engagement, saidslidable member being part, a valve connected to said member on one side of its pivot, a substantially circular spring having overlapping end portions bearing on said upstanding part, saidv spring being formed with a stirrup opposite saidY overlapping ends, and a rod engaged in said stirrup and tensionally holding the spring radially distended, said rod extending longitudinally of the motor casing and being adapted to be engagedby a movable part of the ymotor to move said rod and actuate said valve. 1

6. In a Windshield cleaner motor, automatic valve mechanism including a valve, a pivoted valve supporting member having spaced arms, means for actuating said valve supporting member to cause said valve to assume either of two positions, and a coil spring arranged between said arms Withits axis extending across the path of said valve supporting member for being engaged by lsaid arms to limit` the movement of said valve supporting member and said valve.

7. In a windshield cleaner motor, automatic valve mechanism including a valve, a pivoted valve supporting member provided with a pair of spaced arms, means for actuating said valve supporting member to cause said valve to assume either of two positions, and a coil spring arranged between said arms to be alternately engaged thereby to limit the movement of said valve in either direction.

8. In a windshield cleaner motor` a casing having an inwardly extending bearing sleeve formed with an exterior longitudinal groove opening through -the inner end wall of said sleeve, a valve, a valve actuating lever pivoted in the groove of said sleeve, a

cleaner shaft journaled in the sleeve and projecting from the inner end of the same, a member fixed on the shaft adjacent the inner end ofsaid sleeve and extending across ment of the piston for operatively lmoving l said valve actuating lever.

9. In a windshield cleaner motor, a cas ing part having a bearing sleeve, a valve actuating lever having .a bearing edge extending lengthwise of said sleeve and pivoting on one side of the sleeve lengthwise thereof, said .lever extending about said sleeve to the opposite side thereof, a valve on lsaid opposite side of the sleeve operable by said lever from one to the other of two positions, a spring for operating the lever and holding it in position on said sleeve, and a positioning member for said spring operable from a movable part of the motor for moving the line of spring force back and forth across a dead center position relative to the pivotal mounting of the lever Whereby said spring will quickly rock the lever to move the valve from one position. to its other position.

10. lln a Windshield cleaner motor, a casing member having a projecting bearing sleeve and a projecting pair of opposed parts, said parts and said sleeve being relatively superposed,` a shaft journaled in the sleeve, a piston operable in the casing member for rocking the shaft, a valve for operatively admitting luid pressure to the casing member', a valve actuating lever pivoted on said sleeve and having a movement limiting poi'- tion operating between said opposed parts, means cooperating with said portion for 'limiting the movement ofl said lever, a spring connected to said lever and adapted to have its line of maximum force shifted back and itorth to opposite sides of said lever pivot, and a spring positioning member slidably guided by said opposed parts and movable by a movable part of the motor for shifting the line of maximum force of said spring.

vllin testimony whereof, we afliX our signaf tures.

FREDERICK G. FOLBERTH. WILLIAM M. FOLBERTTFL 

